I will address the question of how the concept of the safe failure in ILS (Instructional Learning Simulations) or VLEs (Virtual Learning Environments) play a role in engaging otherwise disengaged learners. In order to delve into this question, it would be appropriate to define VLE. The Joint Information Systems Committee (JISC) (2007) defines a VLE as a set of components in which learners and tutors participate in ‘online’ interactions of various kinds, including online learning. VLE activity data, sometimes called click count tracking, despite its imperfections, provides an easily available, yet basic, measure of student ‘learning’ activity.
Trends Technology has changed the way our students learn. Games and hand held technology have impacted, not only our classrooms, but our entire culture, causing teachers to change their teaching methods. The last several years have seen an explosion in the amount of young people playing video games as well as the number of children and adolescents using mobile handheld technologies, such as portable music players, gaming platforms, and smart phones (Roberts et al. 2005; Squire 2006; Dieterle et al. 2007; Lenhart and Madden 2007) as located in Maltby and Mackie article. As school systems struggle with how best to deal with this cultural and technological shift, it is highly likely that the technology will continue to progress towards more powerful, GPS-enabled, location-aware, WIFI handheld computers that can deliver high quality, multimedia, computer processing power. Viewing this phenomenon as neither a cure nor a plague, leading researchers in educational technology have stressed the need for more studies that explore if and how these technologies can be leveraged for enhanced learning (Heinecke et al. 2001; Means and Haertel 2004).
Adult Learners in the UK and Ireland Educators are searching for ways to meet the needs of learners, whether they be children, adolescents, or even adults. In the UK, the Leicht Review was launch to address the concerns of the British populations ability to compete in this globalized market, in the areas of literacy and numeracy. The Leicht Review addresses the need for Britain to be more prevalent in the area of skills. It recommends that the UK should aim to be a world leader on skills by 2020, and suggested how that aim should be achieved. (Wikipedia, 2010)
Recognizing that boosting the current literacy and numeracy level may be difficult, educators need to find ways to educate adult learners who have opted out of the education arena for various reasons, whether they are older worker, part time, unemployed or temporary workers, migrants or incapacity benefits. (Overton, 2007) These workers would be defined as the disengaged learners, and the question before us is, what are some ways to engage these learners? Research shows that technology is a key factor.
Dr. Alan Clarke Director of ICT and e-learning at the National Institute of Adult Continuing Education (NIACE), commented: "There is a lot of evidence that technology can assist socially disadvantaged learners in that it helps them to develop their confidence and self-esteem as learners. Research shows that this is a common thread with the role VLEs in helping to engage the disengaged learner. In this case, the technology serve as a morale booster for adult learners who may have had negative experiences associated with their educational experience. The adult learners are able to leave their negative experiences behind and make a fresh start in a the virtual world where there is no judgment or criticism or memories their poor experience (Overton, 2007)
The UK is not the only place that has turned to technology to engage the disengaged learner. Ireland has also found technology as a useful tool in reaching adults and assist the with building self esteem through a program called New Life Learning, which is designed to reach hard to reach communities in both rural and urban communities across Ireland. Once again, VLEs are being used to, not only reach people, but build self esteem and high morale – make their learning experience a more positive one.
While research shows that VLEs play the role of “self esteem building” and “morale booster” for adults, what is it doing for young adults? How are young students benefiting from VLEs and what role are they playing for this younger more “virtual” group in our society?
Recent research on digital video production suggests students are motivated by the technology to compose fixed and moving images that cross multiple genres and modes of communication (Ranker, 2008). If we examine students’ technology use outside of school, we see these shifts in learning styles happening in their informal, voluntary educational activities (Clarke et al. in press). For example, while the gaming model of one player sitting in front of a console is still prevalent, collaborative, mediated gameplay is rising.
Immersion in virtual environments and augmented realities shapes participants’ learning styles, strengths, and preferences in new ways beyond what using sophisticated computers and telecommunications has generated thus far, with multiple implications for K-12 education.
Maltby and Mackie have state that VLEs are NOT neutral. Like any technology they embed underlying values about teaching and learning, promote certain affordances and reduce other choices. (Salmon 2002, 8) A large number of academics focus on learning in relation to the use of VLEs, Selwyn (2000) argues that researchers need to be aware of the social, cultural, political and economic aspects of educational computing; the soft as well as the hard concerns. Alexander (2006) develops this point, arguing that today’s diverse student body means that it is important to take cultural factors in account. The suggestion is that opportunities should be created to ensure that individuals and minorities are allowed to develop mental models within their own context. This has been described as the ‘salad’ model of diversity, where the richness of the mixture is seen as valuable, instead of the ‘melting pot’ where uniformity is encouraged (Alexander 2006), as cited by Maltby and Mackie.
It is also important to consider the motivational, affective and cognitive factors (Jackson et al. 2000) that might explain why some students are more willing to use VLEs than others. According to Mackie and Beeby (2002), unwillingness may be due to anxiety or a sense that change is imposed and may detrimentally affect learning. (Alice Maltby* and Sarah Mackie)
VLEs have multiple roles and they are instrumental in impacting disengaged learners. Whether they are young adults or mature adults; VLEs meet the needs of students who may be visual learners and help to build confidence and foster a positive experience for the learners who use them.
Bibliography
Overton, L (2007). Engaging the Disengaged. E-Learning Age, 29-30
Mackie, S., Maltby, A.(2009) Virtual learning environments – help or hindrance for the ‘disengaged’ students?. ALT-J Research in Learning Technology, 17(1), 49-62.
Dede, C., Dunleavy, M., Mitchell, R. (2009). Affordances and limitations of Immersive Participatory Augmented Reality Simulations for Teaching and Learning. J Sci Educ Technol, 18 p 7-22.
Research River #2
The Question: Are there potential communications research themes that stand to be more directly beneficial to the 75% of people currently largely disenfranchised and left behind in the digital revolution? The Digital Divide The term digital divide has typically been used to describe little or no access to information technologies, particularly the Internet, for racial and ethnic minorities, persons with disabilities, rural populations, and those with low social economic status. Falling through the Net: Toward Digital Inclusion, reported that Hispanics and blacks are significantly less likely than the national average to own a computer to have Internet access, and to access the Internet at home. (Chang et. al., 2003) The digital divide is an important issue because the Internet has already become a significant means of communications and commerce in society. Households with access use it for important personal, cultural and civic activities while those without access are at a disadvantage in conducting similar daily activities. They cannot shop as effectively or conveniently, are not offered attractive pricing plans, cannot gather information or contact public officials and other people as effectively. They become less effective consumers and citizens relative to their fellow consumers who have access. (Cooper, 2000) Americans and the Digital Divide From 1995 through 2000 the U.S. National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) issued four reports in a series called "Falling through the Net." The report focused on the disparity of telephone service between the haves and have-nots in rural and urban America and provided some data relating to personal computer/modem ownership. There was recognition of the increasing importance of access to computers with modems as a new measure of "universal service." The second NTIA report, specifically spoke of the "digital divide" and provided data that showed the gap widened between 1994 and 1997 for selected groups with regard to computer ownership and usage. As stated, those groups lagging the furthest behind were Blacks and Hispanics and those in lower income levels. The profile of the have-nots reported in the third NTIA report, Defining the Digital Divide, painted a similar picture. However, a widening gap was reported with regard to White and Black/Hispanic households and also with regard to education and income level. Families, who are wealthy, regardless of race, increased their connection to the Internet, suggesting the possibility that with more affordable computers and connections that the disparity might diminish. Findings of Internet access by groups included: white households: 29.8%, black households: 11.2%, Hispanic households: 12.6%, college-education individuals: 48.9%, individuals with only some high school education: 6.3%, two-parent households: 39.3%, and female, single-parent households: 15%. (Schloman, 2004) Solutions to the Digital Divide As a slogan, the "digital divide" united a concern for the poor with a faith in technology. It also suggested an agenda: put computers in schools; connect classrooms to the Internet. Well, the agenda has been largely realized. By 2000, public schools had roughly one computer for every four students. Almost all schools were connected to the Internet, as were about three quarters of classrooms. Some students get computer skills that they might miss. Among 10- to 17-year-old students from homes with less than $15,000 of income, about half use computers only at school, reports the Census Bureau. But whether education and students' life prospects have improved is a harder question. As yet, computers haven't produced broad gains in test scores. As for today's computer skills, they may not be terribly important, in part because technology constantly changes. Frank Levy, an economist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology who studies how computers alter work, emphasizes the importance of basic reading and reasoning abilities. Often, new computer skills can be taught in a few weeks. But people have to be able to read manuals and follow instructions. The "digital divide" suggested a simple solution (computers) for a complex problem (poverty). With more computer access, the poor could escape their lot. But computers never were the source of anyone's poverty and, as for escaping, what people do for themselves matters more than what technology can do for them. (Samuelson, 2002) Conclusion A new report from Pew’s Internet and American Life project shows that blacks and Hispanics are actually on the internet more often than whites…when it come to getting there by way of mobile phone. First of all, a higher percentage of blacks and Hispanics own mobile phones. And then more of them use their phones to access the Internet. While 33% of white mobile phone users go online with their device, 46% of blacks do and 51% of Hispanics. (Kiviat, 2010) As the digital divide continues to be more widespread in our society and technology continues to become more pervasive, the gap between the “haves” and “have nots” could possible come less and less and the disenfranchised find other ways to connect to the Internet, as to keep up in the digital revolution. Through cell phones, especially, black and Hispanics are dispelling the reports as the groups that are the least to utilize the Internet. Mobile phones are assisting these groups in staying connected and hopefully increasing their “have nots” to the “mobile haves.” Researchers will now need to look at the communication technology theme of mobile phones and their use in keeping the “have not” connected. While the disenfranchised are not using laptops and PC, it may be that they are using what is affordable and accessible.
Trends
Technology has changed the way our students learn. Games and hand held technology have impacted, not only our classrooms, but our entire culture, causing teachers to change their teaching methods. The last several years have seen an explosion in the amount of young people playing video games as well as the number of children and adolescents using mobile handheld technologies, such as portable music players, gaming platforms, and smart phones (Roberts et al. 2005; Squire 2006; Dieterle et al. 2007; Lenhart and Madden 2007) as located in Maltby and Mackie article. As school systems struggle with how best to deal with this cultural and technological shift, it is highly likely that the technology will continue to progress towards more powerful, GPS-enabled, location-aware, WIFI handheld computers that can deliver high quality, multimedia, computer processing power. Viewing this phenomenon as neither a cure nor a plague, leading researchers in educational technology have stressed the need for more studies that explore if and how these technologies can be leveraged for enhanced learning (Heinecke et al. 2001; Means and Haertel 2004).
Adult Learners in the UK and Ireland
Educators are searching for ways to meet the needs of learners, whether they be children, adolescents, or even adults. In the UK, the Leicht Review was launch to address the concerns of the British populations ability to compete in this globalized market, in the areas of literacy and numeracy. The Leicht Review addresses the need for Britain to be more prevalent in the area of skills. It recommends that the UK should aim to be a world leader on skills by 2020, and suggested how that aim should be achieved. (Wikipedia, 2010)
Recognizing that boosting the current literacy and numeracy level may be difficult, educators need to find ways to educate adult learners who have opted out of the education arena for various reasons, whether they are older worker, part time, unemployed or temporary workers, migrants or incapacity benefits. (Overton, 2007) These workers would be defined as the disengaged learners, and the question before us is, what are some ways to engage these learners? Research shows that technology is a key factor.
Dr. Alan Clarke Director of ICT and e-learning at the National Institute of Adult Continuing Education (NIACE), commented: "There is a lot of evidence that technology can assist socially disadvantaged learners in that it helps them to develop their confidence and self-esteem as learners. Research shows that this is a common thread with the role VLEs in helping to engage the disengaged learner. In this case, the technology serve as a morale booster for adult learners who may have had negative experiences associated with their educational experience. The adult learners are able to leave their negative experiences behind and make a fresh start in a the virtual world where there is no judgment or criticism or memories their poor experience (Overton, 2007)
The UK is not the only place that has turned to technology to engage the disengaged learner. Ireland has also found technology as a useful tool in reaching adults and assist the with building self esteem through a program called New Life Learning, which is designed to reach hard to reach communities in both rural and urban communities across Ireland. Once again, VLEs are being used to, not only reach people, but build self esteem and high morale – make their learning experience a more positive one.
While research shows that VLEs play the role of “self esteem building” and “morale booster” for adults, what is it doing for young adults? How are young students benefiting from VLEs and what role are they playing for this younger more “virtual” group in our society?
Recent research on digital video production suggests students are motivated by the technology to compose fixed and moving images that cross multiple genres and modes of communication (Ranker, 2008). If we examine students’ technology use outside of school, we see these shifts in learning styles happening in their informal, voluntary educational activities (Clarke et al.
in press). For example, while the gaming model of one player sitting in front of a console is still prevalent, collaborative, mediated gameplay is rising.
Immersion in virtual environments and augmented realities shapes participants’ learning styles, strengths, and preferences in new ways beyond what using sophisticated computers and telecommunications has generated thus far, with multiple implications for K-12 education.
Maltby and Mackie have state that VLEs are NOT neutral. Like any technology they embed underlying values about teaching and learning, promote certain affordances and reduce other choices. (Salmon 2002, 8) A large number of academics focus on learning in relation to the use of VLEs, Selwyn (2000) argues that researchers need to be aware of the social, cultural, political and economic aspects of educational computing; the soft as well as the hard concerns. Alexander (2006) develops this point, arguing that today’s diverse student body means that it is important to take cultural factors in account. The suggestion is that opportunities should be created to ensure that individuals and minorities are allowed to develop mental models within their own context. This has been described as the ‘salad’ model of diversity, where the richness of the mixture is seen as valuable, instead of the ‘melting pot’ where uniformity is encouraged (Alexander 2006), as cited by Maltby and Mackie.
It is also important to consider the motivational, affective and cognitive factors (Jackson et al. 2000) that might explain why some students are more willing to use VLEs than others. According to Mackie and Beeby (2002), unwillingness may be due to anxiety or a sense that change is imposed and may detrimentally affect learning. (Alice Maltby* and Sarah Mackie)
VLEs have multiple roles and they are instrumental in impacting disengaged learners. Whether they are young adults or mature adults; VLEs meet the needs of students who may be visual learners and help to build confidence and foster a positive experience for the learners who use them.
Bibliography
Overton, L (2007). Engaging the Disengaged. E-Learning Age, 29-30
Mackie, S., Maltby, A.(2009) Virtual learning environments – help or hindrance for the ‘disengaged’ students?. ALT-J Research in Learning Technology, 17(1), 49-62.
Dede, C., Dunleavy, M., Mitchell, R. (2009). Affordances and limitations of Immersive Participatory Augmented Reality Simulations for Teaching and Learning. J Sci Educ Technol, 18 p 7-22.
Research River #2
The Question:
Are there potential communications research themes that stand to be more directly beneficial to the 75% of people currently largely disenfranchised and left behind in the digital revolution?
The Digital Divide
The term digital divide has typically been used to describe little or no access to information technologies, particularly the Internet, for racial and ethnic minorities, persons with disabilities, rural populations, and those with low social economic status. Falling through the Net: Toward Digital Inclusion, reported that Hispanics and blacks are significantly less likely than the national average to own a computer to have Internet access, and to access the Internet at home. (Chang et. al., 2003)
The digital divide is an important issue because the Internet has already become a significant means of communications and commerce in society. Households with access use it for important personal, cultural and civic activities while those without access are at a disadvantage in conducting similar daily activities. They cannot shop as effectively or conveniently, are not offered attractive pricing plans, cannot gather information or contact public officials and other people as effectively. They become less effective consumers and citizens relative to their fellow consumers who have access. (Cooper, 2000)
Americans and the Digital Divide
From 1995 through 2000 the U.S. National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) issued four reports in a series called "Falling through the Net." The report focused on the disparity of telephone service between the haves and have-nots in rural and urban America and provided some data relating to personal computer/modem ownership. There was recognition of the increasing importance of access to computers with modems as a new measure of "universal service."
The second NTIA report, specifically spoke of the "digital divide" and provided data that showed the gap widened between 1994 and 1997 for selected groups with regard to computer ownership and usage. As stated, those groups lagging the furthest behind were Blacks and Hispanics and those in lower income levels. The profile of the have-nots reported in the third NTIA report, Defining the Digital Divide, painted a similar picture. However, a widening gap was reported with regard to White and Black/Hispanic households and also with regard to education and income level. Families, who are wealthy, regardless of race, increased their connection to the Internet, suggesting the possibility that with more affordable computers and connections that the disparity might diminish. Findings of Internet access by groups included: white households: 29.8%, black households: 11.2%, Hispanic households: 12.6%, college-education individuals: 48.9%, individuals with only some high school education: 6.3%, two-parent households: 39.3%, and female, single-parent households: 15%. (Schloman, 2004)
Solutions to the Digital Divide
As a slogan, the "digital divide" united a concern for the poor with a faith in technology. It also suggested an agenda: put computers in schools; connect classrooms to the Internet. Well, the agenda has been largely realized. By 2000, public schools had roughly one computer for every four students. Almost all schools were connected to the Internet, as were about three quarters of classrooms. Some students get computer skills that they might miss. Among 10- to 17-year-old students from homes with less than $15,000 of income, about half use computers only at school, reports the Census Bureau.
But whether education and students' life prospects have improved is a harder question. As yet, computers haven't produced broad gains in test scores. As for today's computer skills, they may not be terribly important, in part because technology constantly changes. Frank Levy, an economist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology who studies how computers alter work, emphasizes the importance of basic reading and reasoning abilities. Often, new computer skills can be taught in a few weeks. But people have to be able to read manuals and follow instructions. The "digital divide" suggested a simple solution (computers) for a complex problem (poverty). With more computer access, the poor could escape their lot. But computers never were the source of anyone's poverty and, as for escaping, what people do for themselves matters more than what technology can do for them. (Samuelson, 2002)
Conclusion
A new report from Pew’s Internet and American Life project shows that blacks and Hispanics are actually on the internet more often than whites…when it come to getting there by way of mobile phone. First of all, a higher percentage of blacks and Hispanics own mobile phones. And then more of them use their phones to access the Internet. While 33% of white mobile phone users go online with their device, 46% of blacks do and 51% of Hispanics. (Kiviat, 2010)
As the digital divide continues to be more widespread in our society and technology continues to become more pervasive, the gap between the “haves” and “have nots” could possible come less and less and the disenfranchised find other ways to connect to the Internet, as to keep up in the digital revolution. Through cell phones, especially, black and Hispanics are dispelling the reports as the groups that are the least to utilize the Internet. Mobile phones are assisting these groups in staying connected and hopefully increasing their “have nots” to the “mobile haves.” Researchers will now need to look at the communication technology theme of mobile phones and their use in keeping the “have not” connected. While the disenfranchised are not using laptops and PC, it may be that they are using what is affordable and accessible.